Rail-joint.



H. G. EVANS.

RAIL JOINT.. APPLIUATION FILED 1120.29, 191

1,090,699. Patented Mar. 17, 1914.-

E?, jv F my. 9

FiQE.

HECTOR G. EVANS, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO JAMES E. EWING, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-JOINT.

incassa.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HECTOR Gr. EVANS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to rail joints, and has for its object to provide means, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, for connecting the opposing ends of a pair of track rails together to form practically a continuous rail to prevent lateral and longitudinal movement with respect to each other and to further provide for the contraction and expansion of the rails when connected together.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a rail joint which is simple in its construction and arrangement, unusually strong and durable, eiiicient in its use, readily set up for connecting the opposing ends of a pair of track rails together, having the intermediate portion thereof forming a continuation of the opposing ends of the rails, readily set up and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 29, 1913.

Patented Mai'. 1*?, 1914.

Serial No. 809,292.

a part thereof interposed between and forming a continuation of said ends.

interposed between the opposing ends of therails 4 and 5 is a bridge member consisting of a base 6, the intermediate or web portion 7 and a head 8, the latter being of the same contour as the head 9 of one of the track rails. One side of the intermediate portion or web 7 forms a continuation of one side of the base 6 and head S and is ush at its upper portion with the s ide 10 of the head 9 and at its lower portion iiush with the side 11 of the base 6. The intermediate portion 7 of bridge meinberis interposed between the rails 4 and 5, projects between the web 12 of the track rails as indicated at 13 and the said projecting side hasformed integral therewith a stepped projection 14 and a pair of tongues 1 5, each of which has its outer portion provided with an opening 17. The projection 14 is of the same height as the intermediate portion 7, while the tongues 15 are arranged centrally with respect to the head 8 and base 6.

Formed integral with the bridge member are a pair of oppositely extending fish plates 18 and 19, which are arranged at one side of the webs 12 of the rails 4, 5, and extend from the bases 2O to the heads 9. The fish plates 18 and 19, are spaced slightly from the webs 12 as indicated at 21. Formed integral with the extension 14 is a longitudinally disposed fish plate 22 which is arranged at the side of the web 12 of the rail 4 and opposite the fish plate 19. The fish plate 22 extends from the base 20 to the head 9 of the rail 4.

'The reference character 23 denotes a fish plate which is shouldered at one end as at 24 `for engagement with the stepped extension 14, and the said fish plate 23 is furthermore provided with openings 25 for the passage ot' the tongues 15. The tongues l5 are of a length to project from the fish plate 23 so that wedges 16 can be forced in the opening 17 and engage the iish plate 23 whereby the latter is detachably connected to the intermediate portion 7 of the bridge member. The fish plate 23 extends at one side of the web 12 of the rail 5 and is arranged opposite the fish plate 18. The sh plate 23 extends from the base 20 to the head 9 of the rail 5 and from the base 6 to the head 8 of the bridge piece. rhe lower edge of the fish plate 28 is provided with a flange 25 whereby said lower portion will be flush with the edge of the base 6 of the bridge piece. The fish plate 22 as well as the fish plate 23 is spaced from the webs 12 of the rails 4: and 5 as at 26. The fish plates have their outer sides beveled whereby they will gradually decrease in width toward the heads 9 of the rails 4c and 5.

When setting up the joint, the bridge piece is inoiuited in position upon a tie and secured to the latter in any suitable manner, after which the rail 4f is slid under the fish plates 19 and 22 and positioned'against one side of the base 6 of the bridge piece. The rail 4t is then spikeddown. The rail 15 is then slid under the fish plate 18 against the opposite side of the base 6 of the bridge piece and the rail 5 is then spiked down. The fish plate 23 is then mounted in position and connected to the bridge piece.

llhat I claiin is 1. A rail joint comprising a bridge piece having formed integral at one side thereof a pair of longitudinally extending spaced parallel fish plates and at its other side with a longitudinally extending integral fish plate, said bridge piece formed with laterally projecting tongues, a fish plate mounted upon said tongues and arranged parallel to and spaced from said first lish plate, and

means extending through said tongues for maintaining the separable fish plate in position.

2. A rail joint including a bridge piece having the top thereofof a contourV of the head kof a rail and said bridge piece adapted to be interposed between the ends of a pair of rails, a pair of fish plates integral with one side of said bridge piece and adapted to be Apositioned at the sides of theweb of a track rail, a fish plate integral with the other side of said bridge piece and adapted to be positioned one side of the web of the other rail, and a fish plate detachably eonnected tosaid bridge piece and adapted to be positioned against the other side of the web of the other rail. a

3. A rail jointcomprising a bridge piece having one side provided with a stepped eX- tension and a plurality of tongues, a sh plate abutting against` said extension and inounted upon said tongues, means extend ing through the tongues for detaehably Con-j necting said fish plate to said bridge piece,

`a pair-of oppositely disposedsh plates in tegral withsaid bridge piece, anda fish plate integral with said. stepped extension,V

said bridge `pieee having the upper port-ion thereof conforming in contour to the head of a rail and adapted to be interposed between Vthe ends of a pair of rails.V Y

In testimony whereof I aiiX iny signature in the presence of two witnesses;

v HECTOR G. EVANS.

lVitnesses: Y

MAX H. SRoLovrrz, CHARLEs EICHARDT.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

